Mail-box.



J. W. TAYLOR.

MAIL BOX.

APPLICATION FILED APR-13, I916.

1,21 Q5620 Patented Jan. 2, 1917.

2 $HEETSSHEET l.

.I. W. TAYLOR.

MAIL BOX.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 13, i916.

Patented Jan. 2, 1917.-

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I mom W. TAYLOR, OE PLEASANT HILL, MISSQUBL MEI-BOX.

arassed.

Specification of Letters Eatent.

Patented Jan. 2, 191?.

applteaflon filed April 19, 1916. Serial No. 903%.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN W. TAYLOR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pleasant Hill, in the county of Cass and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Boxes; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in .the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in rural mail boxes, and more particularly to signaling devices therefor, such devices being designed to notify the carrier when mail to be collected has been deposited in the box and to also signal to the owner of the box that mail has been placed therein.

The object of the present invention is to provide a pair of signals, one for the carrier and one for the owner of the box, and to employ means whereby the carriers signal will be retracted and the owners signal simultaneously extended when the door of the mail box is opened.

With this general object in view, the invention resides in certain novel features of construction and in unique combinations of parts to be hereinafter fully described and claimed, the descriptive matter being supplemented by the accompanymg drawings which constitute a part of this application and in which:

Figure l is a side elevation of a mail box equipped with the improved signaling system, showing the carriers signal projected to notify him that mail has been placed within the box for collection; Fig. 2 is an eleva-' tion of the oppositeside of the box showing the position of the owners signal when the carriers signal is extended; Figs. 3 and 4 are elevations si! ';lar to Figs. 1 and 2 but showing the relation of parts when the door of the box is opened; and Figs. 5 and 6 are vertical transverse sections taken on the planes indicated by the lines 55 and 66 of Fig. 1.

In specifically describing the construction shown in the drawings above briefly described, similar characters will be placed on corresponding parts throughout the several views and reference will be herein made to the numerous elements by their respective indices. To this end, the numeral 1 designates a mail box which may be of any preferred construction, one end of said box being shown as equipped with a downwardly swinging door 2 held normally closed by a spring catch or the like 3. Pivoted to one side of the box 1 is the carriers signal 4,

-while the owners signal 5 is similarly mounted on the opposite side of the box.

The signal 4: comprises an L-shaped arm 6 one of whose ends is preferably longer than the other, the longer end carrying a metal flag 7 preferably though not necessarily painted white. The flag extends in the same direction as the shorter end of the arm 6, whereby if the signal 4 be released when standing as shown in Fig. 1, the weight of said shorter end and the flag will impel said signal to the retracted position shown in Fig. 3. q

The signal 5 consists of a straight arm 8 carrying a metal flag 9 on one end, this flag being usually painted red in order that it may be readily seen at a distance. The arm 8 is pivotally mounted between its ends and the endvthereof remote from the flag 9 is provided with an overbalancing weight 10 whereby if said arm be released when positioned as in Fig. 2, the weight 10 will so impel said arm as to extend the signal 9.

Secured to the opposite sides of the box 1 adjacent the door 2 thereof, are inclined guides preferably in the form of sheet metal housings within which latch bolts 12 are slidably mounted, the lower ends of said bolts being connected at 13 to the door 2, while the upper ends thereof project beyond the guides 11 and are disposed beneath stops 14 with which said guides are equipped. The stops 1% serve to limit the upward move- -ment of the signal 4 and the downward movement of the signal 5, while the bolts 12 will retain said signals in these positions against the power of their impelling means. Thus, the white flag 7 may be raised after the owner of the box has placed mail therein to be collected by the carrier, said flag being now held in this position by one of the bolts 12, while the other bolt will be applied to use for holding the red flag lowered as shown in Fig. '2. With the parts in this position, the carrier will be notified that matter to be collected is in the box and he will consequently open the door 2 to remove said matter. This releases both bolts 12 with the reor the like from the box, the carrier has placed other mail therein, he will allow the flag 9 to remain in its raisedposition but if the carrier places no mail in the box, he will return the signal 5 to its retracted position.

This obviates an unnecessary trip to the mail box by the owner thereof, since when there I flag is pro'ect d he is notified that the cfrier has de iv red the mail Which should be promptly collected.

The engagement of the armsfi and 8 with the bolts 12 is facilitated by the fact that said bolts are positioned on such an angle as to allow them to move out of theupward path of said arms when the latter are raised into contact therewith. The moment this takes place, the bolts 12 will drop by gravity and will thus be disposed beneath the ends of the arms 6 and 8 with which they cooperate, thus sustaining said ends until the door 2 is opened. Obviously, the arm 8-may be supported in the position shown in Fig. 2 without projecting the signal 4:, this being done by the carrier in case mail is collected but not delivered at the box, for the reasons above set forth.

Any preferred means may be provided for limiting the movement of the signals 4 and 5 when they are being respectively retracted and projected by their impelling forces. However, suitable pins or the like 15 preferably project from the opposite sides of the box for this purpose. Similarly, any preferred type of pivots for the signals may be employed, but in most cases bolts 16 will be extended outwardly through openings in the sides of the box 1 as shown in Fig. 6, said bolts having thereon clamping nuts 17 between which and the heads of the bolts the sides of the box are received, whereby said bolts are rigidly held, the arms 6 and 8 being mounted on the bolts in question between the nuts 17 and other nuts 18 on the outer ends thereof, the last named nuts being held against movement by lock nuts 19.

Preferably used in conjunction with the parts above described is a pocket 20 held removably in a loop 21 on the inner side of the door 2, said pocket being adapted to hold change for the purchase of stampsand to likewise receive the latter which will be placed therein by the carrier.

From the foregoing, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, the construction, manner of operation and numerous advantages of the improved signaling device will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation but in conclusion, I will state that although I have shown and described certain specific details of construction for accomplishing probably the best results, numerous changes may be made within the scope ofthe invention as claimed without sacrificing the main advantages thereof.

I claim: a

'1. In a mail box signaling device, the combination of an owners signal and a carrlers signal, the owners signal having means for lmpelling it to extended position, while the carriers signal is provided with means for impelling it to retracted position, and means for overcoming the impelling forces to sustain the owner 8 signal in a retracted position and the carriers signal in an extended position, said means being adapted for connection to the door of the mail box tobe released by opening of said door.

2. In a mail box signaling device, the combination of an owners signal and a carriers signal each comprising a pivotally mounted arm having a signal flag thereon, the owners signal having means for impelling it to projected position while the carriers signal is provided with means for impelling it to retracted position, and means for overcoming the impelling forces, said means being adapted for connection to the door of the mail box to be released by opening of said door.

3. In a mail box signaling device, the combination of an owners signal including a strai ht pivotally mounted arm having an overba anced end and equi ped at its opposite end with a signaling ag, said overbalanced end serving to impel said arm to an upright position to project said signaling flag, a carriers signal including an L-shaped arm pivotally mounted at its angle and having at one end a signaling flag, the other end of said L-shaped arm serving to impel this arm to such a position as to lower its signaling flag, and means for overcoming the aforesaid impelling forces to sustain the owners signal with its signaling flag retracted and the carriers signal with its signaling flag projected, said means being adapted for connection with the' door of the box to be released by the opening of said door.

4. In a mail box signaling device, the combination of an owners signal including a straight pivotally mounted arm having an overbalanced end and equippel at its opposite end with a signaling flag, said overbalanced end serving to impel said arm to an upright position to pro ect said signaling flag, a carriers signal including an L-shaped arm pivotally mounted at its an 1e and having at one end a signaling flag, t e other end of said L-shaped arm serving to impel this arm to such a position as to lower its signaling flag, a pair of bolts adapted to cooperate with the arms of both signals to suspend the arm of the owners signal in position to retract its signaling flag and to sus- In testimony whereof I have hereunto set tain the carriers signal in position to promy hand in presence of two subscribing ject its signaling flag, said bolts being witnesses.

- JOHN W. TAYLOR.

adapted for pivotal connection with the 5 door of the box to be retracted by opening Witnesses:

of said door, and guides for said bolts to be W. L. F. Domini, secured to the box. J. F. TAYLOR. 

